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Wednesday 16 September 2020
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Back in the swing of things
THE smiles on their faces said it all when children were allowed back to the playground at Hastings on Monday. As the easing of COVID-19 restrictions took hold, three-year-old William Caufield, of Bittern, was happy to be back on the swing, while sisters Sari, three and Mila Barr, six, began the climb up to the cubbyhouse (and normality). All the playground equipment was soon being given a workout as parents took the time to stand back and appreciate the benefits of seeing their children mingle with others who had also been locked out for weeks.
“Drop in numbers a positive sign” Page8
Pictures: Gary Sissons
Pandemic’s violent complication Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au ELDER abuse, an insidious stablemate of family violence, is rampant on the Mornington Peninsula during these strained days of COVID-19. With Victoria’s second highest population of elderly people, the peninsula has the highest number of police callouts per capita for family violence in
metropolitan Melbourne. Data presented to Peninsula Health shows family violence presentations to emergency departments and inpatient settings have increased 88 per cent in the past year. Similarly, elder abuse presentations are up 59 per cent. Statistics suggests that at least 10 per cent of those living on the peninsula aged over 65 are at risk of, or are experiencing, elder abuse.
Peninsula Health’s head of social work Dr Meghan O’Brien said the referrals coming through had a “higher risk rating and severity compared to pre-COVID, and included stalking, sexual assault, head-butting, trauma to the head and strangulation”. She said about 70 per cent of older people experiencing elder abuse are women and that older people experiencing elder abuse are usually coping with
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more than one form at any time, such as financial and psychological abuse. While the main perpetrators are adult sons and daughters followed by partners, many older people do not want to involve the police or take legal action. “The older person is more likely to be focused on supporting the perpetrator, perhaps their child, who may have factors such as financial stressors – gambling or unemployment – or
mental health issues or a disability,” Dr O’Brien said. “Research has shown that they may not recognise [it] as family violence and may regard abusive behaviour as a normal part of their intimate partner or family relationships or part of ageing. Hospitals had an important role in reporting and preventing elder abuse as most older people trusted health professionals. Continued Page 7
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